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Requested-Review: GAME PLAN by Karla Doyle

Recently divorced after seventeen years with a snooty, uptight, controlling man, forty-year-old Andie is definitely ready for some casual, sexy fun when a hot younger man “accidentally” hits her with a baseball. Mason’s interest is clear and he looks like a lot more fun than her overworked vibrator collection, so she goes for it, despite the obvious age gap. The young veterinarian is as easy to be with as he is on the eyes, making him an ideal summer diversion and the perfect man to help her make up for lost time and missed orgasms.

Mason had to meet the sexy woman at the ball diamond. The chemistry between them is instant and completely addictive. Andie is more than beautiful, she’s uninhibited and independent—totally unlike the needy twenty-somethings he’s been dating since his ex-fiancée deceived him five years ago. And yeah, Andie is ten years older than him, big deal. The more they’re together, the more his heart wants her as badly as his cock. Too bad Andie isn’t playing for keeps.

Title: GAME PLANAuthor: Karla DoyleSeries: There will be a connected book but no series name yetGenre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic RomancePublisher: Ellora’s Cave PublishingYear of release: 2012, February 18Format: eBookSource: Received an e-copy from author for review

First line: “Scott’s really working the team spirit today with that kelly-green golf shirt buttoned up to the eyeballs.”

Last line: He pulled into a parking spot in the hospital lot. Leaned over and kissed her, white-hot and sweet as honey. “And counting.”

Memorable Scenes: – the scene in the alley after their first “date” > pfew, that was a hot scene – the scene with the neighbor’s potato salad > so funny! – the scene in the kitchen: exhibitionistic, a little spanking and a lot of hot dirty talk > It was so hot I wanted a cigarette after reading it! – the epilogue> OMG! I loved that epilogue so hard! Perfect ending to a great romance

Mason Lang is a sexy, levelheaded, patient and smart veterinarian who decides the baseball mom on the other side of the field is going to be his no matter what. I loved Mason and everything about him. He saw what he wanted and went for it, guns blazing. And come on…he’s a dirty talker! Need I say more?

Andie Finch, said baseball mom, is a divorced, defensive and at times insecure fashion designer and dressmaker who is so done with overbearing men who want to tell her what to do. But hunky Mason shows her not all men are alike and there is definitely nothing wrong with second chances with a younger man.

Though 40 and complaining about the age gap, I found her a little immature at times and I definitely had to warm up to her. Her habit of running off without explanation or asking for one when something Mason would do or say, rubbed me the wrong way at first. I also didn’t like how she kind of blamed Mason for every wrong thing her ex had done and did to her. I kept wanting to yell: “He didn’t say that! That’s what’s in your head, woman!” As sexually confident as she was portrayed, this display of insecurity was a little disappointing.

Her wishy-washy attitude about the age difference with Mason (about ten years) didn’t go well with me either. She would make a big deal of it one moment but when the sexy times came she didn’t let it worry her one bit and completely “forgot” about it until the sex was over, then the whole “I’m too old, you’re too young, this is just sex” song-and-dance would start all over again.

You’d say I didn’t like Andie but that’s not true. She annoyed me at first, true , but later on this became less and less as she started realizing a bunch of stuff that made her look at her behavior in a different light. And I did enjoy her dry sense of humor and sharp wit.

Of the secondary characters there was one I wanted to yank out of the book and kick, punch or whatever in the groin: Andie’s ex Scott. OMG, he was such a jerk! He tried to make up for it a bit at the end but it was too little too late. He remains a jerk to me.

I loved how Karla Doyle snuck in some very intriguing information about Katie (Mason’s younger sister) and her fiancé Logan. I’m already looking forward to their story as Karla told me on Twitter that there is going be a story for them. YAY! I also look forward to Tasha’s story, Andie’s best friend with some fascinating proclivities. This setting and cast of characters makes for lots of yummy to come and I can’t wait.

At first the characterization seemed to stay on the surface and I couldn’t get a grip on Andie and Mason’s personalities other than that Mason was a dirty talker and Andie was being a bit immature. But they had great chemistry and both had a quick and dirty sense of humor that made for sublime dialogues and banter. This made up plenty for any issues I had with Andie and I must say Mason’s groveling at the end, which I loved also definitely helped towards my final opinion of the book.

Some might argue there is too much sex in this book. Let me tell you: With a deliciously dirty talker like Mason and a sexually confident Andie, there is no such thing as too much sex, never!

As you might have noticed this book really had a field day with my emotions, both good and bad and that’s when I call it a successful read! Hence my rating of awesome, despite my issues with Andie! I truly enjoyed this book and not in the least because of Karla Doyle’s humorous writing and the steaming heat she created between Andie and Mason. I liked her writing style off the bat (hehehe). It’s fun and snappy and flows with ease. Bring me more!

Favorite Quotes:

He lifted the injured leg to his lap again, seating her foot on the fly of his uniform pants. She stared at her toes, willing them still, when all they wanted to do was jump free of their strappy sandals and wiggle against his crotch. Good god, she needed to end this before she did something stupid.

Mason reached for her hands and helped her to her feet. Pulled her into his arms. Kissed her face. Stroked her hair. His erotic dominance melted into sexy, masculine tenderness that tugged at something inside her.

“Where are your buddies tonight? Not here, obviously.”
“Hard to say. Home with their girlfriends, wives and kids, most likely. Except for one jerk who’s probably busy fucking an empty Pringles can because no living human would want him.”

His voice alone did things to her. Worked its way through her system like a stimulant, turning every nerve ending to high.

When Andie came down the stairs wearing that black-and-white dress again, he had to swallow a mouthful of drool.

(…) “It’s sweet that I want to f#ck you every time I see you?”
“God, yes. Bring condoms, forget the flowers.”
“Damn. I spent forty bucks on roses for nothing.”
“The roses were beautiful, I love them. Now shut up and do me.”

“Mints,” she said breathlessly, then dug the roll from her bag and popped one. “Don’t want to have dick breath while chatting up your family.”
She waved the package. “Want one?”

(Mason:) “How’d we get from me telling you I’m falling in love with you, to you informing me we’ll never need a double plot at the cemetery?”
Heat spread across her cheeks. “How’d we get from me slicking you up with oil so we can have slippery, doggy-style sex, to talking about…about… love stuff? ” He tossed his head back and whooped until he turned a shade of red that probably mirrored hers. If he wasn’t holding her in place, she’d stomp her bare feet out of there.

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4 thoughts on “Requested-Review: GAME PLAN by Karla Doyle”

Great review, Pearl. Sounds like Andie and Mason really got you going! I loved their story and, as I’ve said before, if this Karla Doyle’d debut, then I see good things ahead. Eagerly awaiting her next release, More than Words, which is out in a couple of weeks.